Trying to Run: Run to Where?
by STRAX
Summary: Previously called Runaway. Serenity runs from her problems only to be captured by...
1. Prologue

Runaway  
  
By: *STRAX*  
  
Part One  
  
PG-13  
  
Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me except Xavier. Too bad, ain't it?  
  
Princess Serenity tries to get away from her problems and runs to Earth. Unfortunately, Prince Xavier takes her in as his slave. Will Endymion remain cold-hearted through-out her torment?  
  
This is my first fanfic for SM. Don't blame me for my run-on sentences, I've been known for that. Just please leave a review so that I can be encouraged to write more. I'll have more out in a week or so. If I don't, send me a msg to remind me. I don't mind if you leave bad reviews but if you think this is a good start, tell me! I already have half the story planned, I just don't have the time to write it. Thanks!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The horses trotted slowly through the forest. Too fast, thought Endymion. What person in their right mind would want to go back to that dull palace, he wondered. He shifted his weight from his left arm to his right arm, getting yet another view of the quiet majesty of the forest. It was already late afternoon, nearing darkness and Prince Xavier and his brother, Prince Endymion, were returning from a day in town, meeting with the high lords. Boring was how Endymion had described the whole process of shaking and greeting. Now, he was even less entertained being shaken around in the bumpy carriage through the rocky path back to the dungeon he called home. At least he had the scenery. The looming trees shaded his eyes but allowed specks of orangey sunlight to shine through. Greenness surrounded Endymion and for once he was relatively at peace.  
  
"Day-dreaming again, little brother?"  
  
Endymion was shaken out of his reverie by the cold and mocking voice of his oh-so-uppity half brother. "No, dear brother. I'm simply taking a break from you and your voice." He replied with a snide tone. And he was. It was hard to escape his brother's loud and obnoxious voice anywhere on this Earth. His 'daydreams', or so his brother calls them, were one of his few places of solitude.  
  
"Well, come back here. I need your wonderful and helpful advice on something." As usual.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Does this make me look fat?" Xavier displayed his new big-feathered hat for Endymion to see. Yet another hat to add to the collection.  
  
"Yeah. You look terrible" Endymion was lying, of course. Xavier could never look terrible. His glittering blue eyes combined with sun kissed locks demanded genuine compliments. His sweetly angelic face with his muscular frame had caused many, MANY women to flock after him like geese.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Having finally shut up his brother, Endymion looked out the carriage again. He knew that he himself didn't look bad either. Not a classic beauty like his brother but good-looking in his own special way. His eyes were blue as well, but darker, deeper than that of his brother's. His hair was completely different. Midnight black locks framed his angular face. Endymion wasn't as muscular as Xavier, who had the usual bulgy muscles, but lean and hard, strong and tall.  
  
Having suddenly entered a clearing, Endymion squinted at the sudden sunlight. Blinking his eyes to clear them, he suddenly saw a flash of brown and gold. Apparently, so did Xavier's rather paranoid guards, because they suddenly yelled out "The Princes' are under attack!"  
  
Xavier saw the flash as well and called in his most commanding and haughty tone "Capture that assassin immediately or you will all be without a head!"  
  
The carriage came to a complete halt, throwing both Princes' forward. Endymion glanced at his brother and rolled his eyes. God, how many times has this happened? At least 6 deer have been taken down because they were thought to have been the 'assassins'.  
  
They didn't have to wait long. Surprisingly, the capture was a success, for once. Dragged along was not a deer, but an actual person. Xavier smiled triumphantly at Endymion and ordered, "Identify yourself."  
  
The small, struggling mass didn't respond but instead struggled even harder, even managing to knock one of the guards down. The guard wasn't amused and backhanded to 'assassin' and spat out "In the name of the Prince, cease thy struggles and answer the question or I shall have your tongue ripped out!"  
  
The struggle seemed to stop but no answer was heard. "Answer me, you filthy peasant, or I shall show no mercy".  
  
The guards shoved the 'assassin' closer for the Princes' inspection. Prince Endymion saw that brown streak he saw was actually the mud-covered garment this.person had on. And the gold was person's hair. Long and almost completely coated in mud, this person looked as if he worked in a swamp all his life.  
  
"You will be given one more chance. Who are you?" Xavier asked, no, demanded.  
  
The head tilted up and suddenly everyone was greeted with the sight of the most brilliant set of blue eyes. Huge and specked with silver, the eyes seemed to pour out the message of innocence and, to the Princes' surprise, femininity.  
  
"I am NOT a peasant, as you have so eagerly assumed!" the words were spat out of the person, no, girl's mouth.  
  
Smirking, Xavier replied, "I am not asking who you are not, I am asking who you are. Or what."  
  
Sputtering, the girl said with venom "I am a free person! I am not an assassin and I demand to be freed NOW!"  
  
Her cheeks get rather pink when she gets angry, thought Xavier. I'll rather enjoy having this one nearby when I get bored. Having made his decision on the spot he ordered, "Have this girl chained up and taken back to the palace. She is hereby my slave." He smiled devilishly at the last word.  
  
"NO! YOU CAN'T DO THIS! I WON'T LET YOU!!" shrieked the girl. Kicking and screaming with all her might, all she got was a rather harsh punch on her temple delivered by a particularly ill-tempered guard. She was then hoisted over the shoulder of one of the guards and laid on a horse.  
  
Feisty, thought Endymion admirably. Xavier reflected the same thought.only with naughtier intentions.  
  
More to come. Please leave a review! And, yes, Amanda, I know you hate this. 


	2. Serenity's Story

I am so, so, so, so sorry!! My brother took apart the computer where I had originally written this chapter and I had totally forgotten what I had written!! So here, after much too much time, is the next chapter of Runaway  
  
.I don't really like the title any more.oh well.  
  
And I don't own sailor moon. I am merely letting my imagination run wild. ..(  
  
And this chapter has a few profanities in it. Don't read it if you'll feel offended, which you shouldn't feel since the swearing isn't directed to you!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
This is not happening. This is definitely not happening. These thoughts ran through Serenity's mind over and over again. She had been half carried, half dragged, all the way back to the Imperial Palace of Earth. I didn't run all the way here to this lowly planet to get caught all over again. Running. That was a funny word. This word didn't even begin to describe what Serenity had been doing for the past six months. Running just didn't seem to say, "I'm running for my life and for love and for justice and".wait, the word IS in that. I guess it'll have to do.  
  
Running wasn't Serenity's top priority before. When she was young, the only running she'd do was in the royal gardens of her mother's palace. Back then, she was loved and cherished. Her mother used her every spare moment to make sure Serenity was happy.  
  
This is the beginning of Serenity's Story.  
  
In Serenity's mind, her mother was perfection. Her very smile seemed to light up the moon kingdom and her silver-spun hair would shine in a way any lady would envy. Her words were soft as pillows and she seldom had a harsh or mean word to say. How Serenity loved her! Every night her mother would tuck her in and sing a simple lullaby. Every night Serenity would grin at the queen and be kissed goodnight. Every night after this little ritual, Serenity's dreams would be sweet.  
  
This all changed when Serenity turned fifteen. At this time, the people of the Moon had all suggested that the queen should take a husband. For the fifteen years of her life, Serenity had never remembered having a father and had supported the idea. Her mother, wanting to satisfy everyone, had chosen a suitor from the planet of Versia. It appeared to anyone who saw them that they were the happy and perfect family; a beautiful mother, a strong father, and a darling little girl.  
  
This wasn't how it was at all. Not by a long shot. Calib, the man the queen had chosen, came from a society where women were inferior and helpless. He had only sought the Queen's hand in marriage because of her powerful kingdom and reign. Now, every night, Serenity would hear not lullabies, but crying from her mother. Serenity lived in fear of her stepfather. He would beat her until bruises began to show and them he'd lock her in her room. Serenity's life became her own prison.  
  
Her mother would still come to her at night, pleading her not to tell anyone. She didn't want the people of the Moon to know that the great Queen had been conquered and weakened. With shining eyes, the Queen would tell Serenity every night, "Daughter, don't ever let a man, or anyone, for that matter, treat you as an inferior. You are not. You are your own person and you must never forget that." With those words, Serenity would sink into her dreams. They were no longer as sweet as before, but they were an escape from reality.  
  
As time wore on, King Calib became more and more brutal. He'd come back to the main chambers, drunk and angry, and would vent his problems out on the Queen. Serenity could always hear what he screamed at her mother through the walls.  
  
"BEG! BEG, YOU WRETCHED WENCH! WHEN I HEAR YOU BEG I WILL STOP!!!"  
  
There was never an answer to his mad demands. After the stretch of silence, Serenity would hear a loud whipping sound. She never said a word to anyone. Sere would just close her eyes and imagine another world.  
  
That one night was probably the most heart wrenching and horrible nights Serenity had ever lived through. It was that one night where King Calib had a little more to drink than usual, celebrating his newest conquest of yet another planet. The moon was becoming more and more unpopular. Serenity was sitting with her mother, talking about little nothings when they had heard him stumbling in the halls.  
  
"Quickly, hide behind the pillar. He will hurt you if he sees you" she had said. Serenity did as her mother had told her and hid behind the curtain. She peered around the pillar to see Calib throwing open the doors and marching up to her mother. In one quick, sharp blow, he backhanded her mother.  
  
"BITCH!! DON'T YOU LOOK AT ME THAT WAY!"  
  
Serenity watched as her mother whimpered and tried to back away from her husband but was stopped when he aimed a vicious kick to her ribs. *CRACK*  
  
"Please." her mother cried. Calib's eyes widened in unexplained anger and savagely began beating her. When he finally spoke, a blow followed each word.  
  
"Did-WHACK- I- SLAP- say- CRACK-you-WHACK-could-WHACK-talk?" At the last word, Serenity's mother flew across the room and landed in a small heap. Serenity watched in wide-eyed horror as Calib strode to where her mother lay and continually kicked at her ribs. Somewhere in his drunkenness, his accuracy and aim had diminished and his kicks found their way to her fragile temple.  
  
Taking in a deep, shaky breath, Serenity finally gathered the courage and screamed with bloody murder and charged at Calib. Her eyes overflowed with crystal tears, half blinding her. She didn't care. Catching a black and sliver vase, she smashed it upon Calib's skull before he could react, causing him to black out.  
  
Serenity quivered with rage. And sank to the floor beside her mother. She frantically rolled the woman over, silently chanting 'she's okay, she's okay, she's okay." This became her mantra as she checked her mother's pulse. More tears sprang to her eyes as her mother drew in a shallow breath.and coughed up blood. The Queen's eyes opened one last time. Serenity gazed into those silver eyes as she heard "Take care, Serry. Don't let him."  
  
And that was it. Those were the last words to leave her mother's lips, as she sank deeply into a sleep that she would never awaken from. And Serenity stood, with a new determination set in her mind. To run away. And to come back. And to make Calib pay.  
  
Calib. Serenity quickly glanced at his unconscious body, so near her own mother's. He groaned and shifted, a sign that he was about to get up. Fear returned to Serenity and she turned and ran. Through the halls and to the secluded garden where she spent her childhood days just looking at the simple beauty of nature. It was there that she had drawn out her own power. With thoughts of revenge still running in her mind, she set her mind's eye to her destination. Earth. Where Calib would never even think of looking for her there.  
  
And to Earth she went.  
  
  
  
Really, really sorry. I apologize once again for such a short chapter. Actually, I don't really know if it's short or not.this appears different on fanfiction.net than it does on my wonderful Microsoft word. I'd also like to thank those people who took the time to actually email me for reminding me to write this.  
  
Cheers. Flame me all you like. It's rather amusing to read horrible reviews. But that doesn't mean I don't like GOOD review either. 


	3. Sadistic Smile

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or Sailor moon blah blah blah.  
  
Sorry about the delay. I'd promise to have the next chapter out…but I most probably won't get it done in a long time. But I will promise I'll try.  
  
Enjoy.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Clank.  
  
The horses trotted at a slow pace. Endymion didn't mind. This gave him a chance to fully survey the chained and masked 'assassin'. Since she had been captured and knocked out, her hands had been bound behind her back and her face was covered with a cloth. It was so like Xavier to have thought of the cloth. He was all, "This thing is not fit to grace my eyes. I will not have my beautiful eyes stained with filth". She had then been placed on the back of the horse next to the carriage, for Xavier to "keep a constant watch on the sneaky wench".  
  
This also gave a chance for Endymion to keep a constant watch on her as well. With Xavier haven fallen asleep, Endymion was free from the constant scrutiny of his brother. From his view, he could see a mass of mud-caked hair underneath the cloth, most likely filled with knots. The hand dangling at the side was a small, delicate hand, distinctly feminine. The hand had what seemed to be impossibly smooth with no visible marks capped with pink- hued nails. That is, what wasn't covered in mud. She must be given a bath, Endymion absently thought.  
  
Endymion had been observing the girl for quite some time and Xavier had been jostled awake by a particularly deep pothole the carriage had ridden over. Xavier opened his eyes to see his brother practically mesmerized with a sight outside the window. Xavier stole a discreet glance out that same window and nearly had his eyes fall out of his sockets. Endymion, cold- hearted bastard who cared for no one, who cared even less for women, was currently goggling at a grungy slave!! His calculating mind already devising a devious plan for his brother, Xavier alerted Endymion of his wakefulness with a loud yawn.  
  
Endymion all but jumped when a disturbingly loud yawn erupted from his fellow carriage-mate. He shot the disturbance (Xavier ( ) a dirty look while turning to face his brother.  
  
"Welcome back to the land of the living, milord. Trust you had a restful nap." Endymion greeted with a taunting tone. He had added the milord jibe with a particularly sarcastic voice, knowing how much Xavier treasured his power.  
  
"Yes, I did. In fact, I was given a wonderful idea in my dream. Would you like to hear it?" Xavier wore a dark grin on his face. Might as well deliver my plan in the most unsusceptible way possible: through meaningless dreams.  
  
It's that smile, Endymion thought. That's the smile he had before he wrung the neck of the bird. That's the same smile he wore each time he returned from a whore-house with a new barmaid to deflower. That smile means he has a sinister idea to put forth. Might as well hear it, since its never concerned me before…  
  
"Sure"  
  
To be continued….  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Ha! Just kidding. Since I have absolutely nothing to do because my TV's been taken apart and my internet is down (AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!) I'll continue writing for as long as I can!!! (bows to her beloved audience)  
  
Anyways, back in my world……………  
  
  
  
Xavier's chilling smile grew even bigger at his brother's reply. Fool.  
  
"Well, I dreamt I was given a flower. Oh, you know how I am at gardening! Terrible! Horrible!! Anyways, some fool left me the most beautiful flower I'd ever seen! Softest petals to touch, sweetest fragrance to smell, and it was mine. I wouldn't let anyone near it. Of course…I had no idea how to take care of it. When I watered it, it wilted. When I gave it some sun, it dried up.  
  
It was then I remembered what a green thumb you possess. I wanted the flower to be the most beautiful flower in the world in full bloom. So I gave it to you to take care of."  
  
Endymion stared at his brother. He dreamt of a flower? He gave that smile for a dream of flowers?? Endymion stared harder at his brother. Perhaps it was in his imagination the smile had appeared… I'll humour him, Endymion decided.  
  
"Uh… did I take care of it?"  
  
Xavier smirked, thrilled that Endymion was actually listening. Makes this so much easier for me.  
  
"Oh, I don't know. I awoke right after I placed the flower in your hands."  
  
Endymion searched for some plan that could be inspired by such an insignificant dream but found none that was anywhere near 'wonderful', as Xavier had described it as. Finally as his wits end, he asked, "So what's the wonderful plan that you were given? You want to take up gardening???"  
  
Xavier laughed uncontrollably. How dense could he be?? Tears were beginning to fill his eyes as he continued his laughter, much to the confusion and irritation of Endymion. Patience coming to an end, Endymion yelled out, "WHAT?!?!?"  
  
"Why brother! *snort* I thought *gasp* you'd be *laugh* smarter!!!"  
  
Giving a final chuckle just for effect, Xavier calmed himself down. He shifted in his seat for a more comfortable position, knowing he'd need some time to explain his theory to his oh-so-dense brother.  
  
"Well, as you see, we have gotten ourselves a new slave"  
  
Endymion inwardly widened his eyes at that statement but showed no emotion on his face. What's that got to do with anything? Unless….  
  
"Your dream was concerning her?"  
  
"Yes. I have come to the decision that I will give her to you as your own personal slave girl. Your to torture, yours to use, yours to do anything you want to do with."  
  
Endymion's mind whirled with images and visions with the last statement. Shaking his head to rid his mind of those un-Godly thoughts, he forced himself to think rationally.  
  
"Xavier, I know you. You have never, in all of history, given anything to anyone with a price. What do you want with me?"  
  
Xavier smirked. Maybe he wasn't so dense after all…have to give his credit for remembering that tidbit of information. He's right…I never give anything without knowing I would get something in return. Always to my benefit, should be my motto.  
  
"Why, Endymion! How can you think that of me? I'm your brother! The very person who walked with you down the very path of the very castle, that we both still live in, by the way, and played chess with so often we knew each other's best game strategies!!"  
  
"HAH! Yes, you're right. You are my brother. The very person who chased me down the path of the castle because I ate the last pancake, which was, by the way, mine anyways. And the reason I still live in that castle with you is because you refuse to grant me the land that father left for me to rule. And lastly, you cheated every single time we played chess! You'd get my attention elsewhere and move the pieces around! And you STOLE my best strategies!!! Now be honest for once and tell me what it is you want!!"  
  
"Alright, alright, don't get your panties in a bunch over the past…"  
  
Endymion glared at him. Panties, my a**  
  
"I truly want to give you the girl. Consider it my way of apologizing for cheating in chess, all right? The only thing is…"  
  
There it is. The catch  
  
"What's the catch?"  
  
"No catch. I just want the girl back in a month."  
  
Endymion understood what he wanted, all of a sudden. Just like the dream, Xavier was no good at taking care of beautiful flowers. This girl slave was indeed a beautiful flower, rare and exotic, and Xavier had no idea how to handle it. Xavier knew only how to handle whores and gold-diggers. If he tried his techniques with this girl, she would most surely break. So Xavier was giving her to Endymion to "train". He was USING Endymion to break in his new toy. He was USING him. Endymion grew angrier at each thought.  
  
"And if I say no?"  
  
Xavier's eyes glinted dangerously. Never would I have thought he would refuse such a delicious offer. To get a virgin slave and have her out of his way in a month without a hassle.  
  
"I'll just have to take her and handle her the only way I know how. And watch her wilt and die." Xavier replied indifferently.  
  
Endymion's eyes visibly widened. He knew Xavier's tactics well. The girl would be scarred for life. That feisty nature of hers would be extinguished faster than a flame doused with water. She could very well DIE from Xavier's…. ways of teaching.  
  
"No, no. I was merely asking what would happen if I did. I'll take her."  
  
Xavier smiled. His dark smile.  
  
"Good. Then it's settled."  
  
He leaned back into his seat and closed his eyes, signaling the end to the conversation. At this rate, I'll have an experienced and rare whore that'll be the envy of all, he sleepily thought before he fell asleep, still devising plans through dreams.  
  
Endymion looked out the window once again, noting that the bundle next to the carriage had shifted and revealed a bare, mud-streaked leg for his gaze.  
  
Endymion swallowed hard and forced his mind to clearer tracks: what am I going to do now?  
  
  
  
  
  
What do you think? Leave a review if it's convenient for you to. I don't mind flames. They make interesting reading. 


	4. Try and Escape

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon  
  
By they way, in my last chapter, I accidentally added " Gundam Wing" to my disclaimer. That was a mistake. I've been reading too many crossovers and it's brainwashed my mind.  
  
  
  
Serenity was shaken awake with the numerous bumps that were the result of horse riding. Of course, it was worse for Serenity, since she wasn't riding a horse; she was strapped to the back of a horse in a sack.  
  
Having been jolted awake, Serenity experience of slight disconcertion, thanks to the nasty blow to the head the guard had given her. She waited a moment before the past events started to surface in her foggy memory: I ran away from the Moon, Caleb's out to kill me, and I got kidnapped by some pigs who are going to do God-knows-what to me.  
  
That last thought scared her. Summoning as much strength as she could, she began to thrash in the darkness of the sack, hoping to either create enough confusion for the horse to run away from the path or to knock herself off the back of the horse and tumble to safety. She recognized that both ideas could seriously cause her injury but in her mind, anything was better than being captured.  
  
Her struggles became stronger, her body rebelling against the very thought of being a prisoner. Underneath her, she felt her stomach slip a little from the position she was in on the horse's back.  
  
Almost, she thought, just a little more and I'll be able to escape. Her legs were now lower than they were before, nearly reaching the ground. Her bounds hands were lifted to counterbalance the pull of gravity on her feet. Just a few more inches and I can touch the ground. With this thought, she shifted one last time…. and the horse was suddenly pulled to a stop.  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
Endymion hadn't stopped observing the girl. He was, at the moment, imagining the girl in different outfits that would please him (get your mind out of the gutter!! I said outfits, not birthday suits) All of a sudden he noticed a slight movement in the sack. He dismissed it as a trick of the eye, of course, since a blow to the head on such a delicate person would usually keep them out for a day.  
  
Again the sack shifted, more apparent than before. This time, Endymion was completely sure that it was what he saw. He didn't know what to do. Xavier was asleep once again and the carriage and the horse with the girl were going to fast to stop. However….  
  
Endymion leaned over in his seat to stick his head out the window opposite of the window with the girl in sight. He called to the driver, "Slow the carriage down."  
  
The driver, who was a kind man of fifty and two, was indeed confused with this order. Prince Endymion was always the one who wanted to be prompt and exact. Slowing down the carriage could mean being less than punctual.  
  
"Sire? If the carriage slows, you would arrive at the castle late." He replied uncertainly, fearing what his comment could provoke.  
  
Endymion almost growled. What good are servants if they don't obey?  
  
"I said Slow Down the Carriage."  
  
The driver tugged at his collar nervously as he stammered a quick reply. "Yes, milord."  
  
Immediately, the carriage slowed to about half the pace it was before. Endymion looked out the window and saw that the well-trained horses had followed suit and still remained outside the window. He grabbed onto the armrest of his seat and pushed his upper body out the window. Reaching a steady hand toward the sack, he watched the bundle continue to slip off the horse. The sack was alarmingly near the ground, he realized, and a jolt to the sack could topple it right off the horse. And hurt the girl inside, he added to himself. He changed the course of where his hand was going and instead reached for the reins of the horse. Swiftly, he pulled the horse to a stop.  
  
The sack was jerked completely off the horse and onto the rocky road.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
The drop off the horse was too abrupt for Serenity to scream. With a hard 'thud', she landed on the road, cutting her arms and back with various sharp stones and sticks that happened to be on the road. As if Fate wanted more of a laugh, she continued rolling toward the side of the road, effectively bumping her head on larger rocks and causing her head to spin.  
  
Finally coming to a stop just before rolling into a ditch, she lay on her side, gasping for breath and trying to slow her thudding heart. The needle- sharp pinpricks of pain radiated throughout her body, preventing any moment that she might have wanted to make. In her tumble, the bag covering her head had come off, revealing her head and her shoulders. Her right arm had also slipped out of its confinement and now lay beside her head, fingers curling in the basic instinct to shield her head. Her long hair lay all around her in a nest of gold, acting as an ineffective pillow.  
  
Serenity knew that this could be her chance to escape. After all, hadn't this been one of her plans? Once again summoning whatever strength she had left, she tried to move her arms to push herself up. That slight bit of movement proved too much for her sliced-and-diced flesh. Fresh blood welled at whatever wounds she had and the sting of dirt to abused flesh brought tears to her eyes. So she lay there, salt drops clouding her vision, helpless to whatever may come her way.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
Endymion watched in horror as the sack dropped with a thud behind the horse. As soon as he saw that the sack rolling towards a nearby ditch, he reacted with a push off the windowsill with his arms and twisting his body into a tight flip onto the ground, all while the carriage was moving. Vaguely, he heard behind him the sound of Xavier saying, "What the…."  
  
Endymion wasted no time in dashing towards the bundle, which had finally stopped itself before the oncoming ditch just in the nick of time. From where he was coming from, he could see that the fall had ripped several deep gashes into the sack and had also completely pulled off the head sack. He also saw small traces of blood clinging to the rocks the sack had rolled over. All in all, he was extremely worried about the condition of the person inside the sack.  
  
He reached the girl, who was facing away from him on her side, facing the ditch. Her arm somewhat covered her face but did nothing to hide the magnificent gold hair that now lay with mud and blood. He reached out his hand once again, and touched the one bare shoulder that showed, while asking in a quiet voice, "Are you alright?"  
  
Serenity hadn't felt his presence, in all her loud drumming in her head. When she did feel his work-coarsened hand on her skin and heard his hushed voice, she was frightened out of her skin.  
  
Here he is, she thought in her half-crazed mind, my captor and my new Caleb replacement. In her mind, she could see what he would do to her. He's going to hurt me, to spill my blood. I can't take it. I won't take it!! He can't take me alive!!!!  
  
With a wild cry, Serenity pushed herself away from Endymion. She had forgotten the ditch that lay a mere half-foot from where she lay. Terrified at the moment she felt nothing beneath her, she thrashed and tried to keep herself somewhat balanced on the ledge. Of course, her legs were caught in the material of the sack and only caused her to lose what balance she had.  
  
Falling. That's what Endymion saw just before his lightning fast reflexes kicked in and grabbed the girl's arm. He hoisted her light frame back over the edge of the ditch and lay her back on the ground, though this time a good 5 feet away from the side.  
  
Serenity gulped in huge mouthfuls of air, once again trying to bring her heart rate anywhere near normal, not the loud thudding it had commenced to now. Her normally big eyes were huge as she stared up into the sky with a dazed look in her eyes. Even when she became aware of the hand that was holding her arm, her arm that was full of cuts and scrapes, her eyes stayed glassy.  
  
Endymion didn't know what to make of the girl. Once second she was tumbling off of a horse, the next tumbling off the side of a ditch. She was either very clumsy…or very determined to get away. He looked at her now, with her eyes gazing unblinkingly at the sky, as if she was in a trance. He listened carefully for the sound of breathing, at once fearing the worst. He was both relieved and puzzled when he heard and realized that the girl was alive. But why was she so motionless?  
  
Serenity's head spun faster now. The face that had stared so intently at hers was indeed not Caleb's, her frenzied mind noted. She saw flashes of black dots and felt the outstretched arms of sleep reaching for her. She was desperate now to get away from her aching body and spinning world and in turn embraced sleep.  
  
Endymion was surprised to see those wondrous eyes snap shut all of a sudden. Now thoroughly worried, he checked the girl's neck for a pulse. Having found one, he finally decided to carry her back to the carriage, which had stopped not too far away. He could see Xavier tapping his foot and looking incredibly annoyed. He ignored all this as he gathered up the girl and the sack, which he kept wrapped around her for warmth, and laid her in the seat beside him.  
  
Xavier grumbled as he settled back in his seat. Sure, his plan was to get Endymion to fall for the girl so that he himself could snatch away Endymion's happiness…but this was disturbing his beauty sleep!! He took out his new hat and pulled it down over his eyes and went back to sleep, deciding to plot revenge at a later time.  
  
Endymion studied the girl once more. He had no plans on falling asleep, especially with such a stunning creature that lay so near him. The extent of the severity of her injuries became clear to him as he say the red staining her arm. He looked at his own hand and saw that it was also stained with blood.  
  
Endymion spent the rest of the carriage ride carefully and scrupulously examining every inch of the beauty next to him. (No, you hentais, not every inch!!!)  
  
  
  
To be continued…  
  
And for the part about the ditch, let's just pretend that it was a really deep and dangerous and rocky ditch, ok? One that could kill a person. Just for the sake of the story.  
  
Thanks for reading so far and leave a review please!! Reviews motivate me like a lollipop motivates kids. 


	5. First Night

Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon nor do I wish to. Why in the world would I want to be the one to create a whole storyline on 14-year-olds in skimpy little skirts being saved by a moving Tuxedo? That's right. I don't. That's the very point of fanfiction: to rearrange the story to my satisfaction.  
  
And I would loooooovveeee to apologize for keeping my readers waiting.but it's in my blood to procrastinate so TOO BAD. But I did try to make this chapter longer.  
  
Ahem.  
  
On with the story.  
  
Home sweet imprisoning home. Endymion's rather morose thoughts accompanied the excessive fanfare that Xavier had requested. Of course, Xavier simply couldn't return home without some sort of 30 man band marching along in front of the carriage. As requested, this thirty-man band had appeared to greet the carriage a good 5 miles before the castle gates. How tired they must be.but who am I to care about anyone other than me?  
  
The sight of tall stonewalls greeted Endymion. The thick walls were designed to keep people out.and also to keep people in. Or so it seemed to Endymion. They were topped with heavy iron spikes that Xavier had sharpened annually, claiming, "The wind may have worn them down". But anyways, Endymion was looking at the walls with a rather strange mix of the feeling of seeing an old friend.. and the feeling of being locked away. But then.he remembered the wonderful new slave he had to keep him company.  
  
The carriage came to a jolting stop, which woke Xavier from his slumber, surprisingly undisturbed by the fanfare he himself had requested. "What in the bloody hell-" His brand new feathered hat jerked off his head and into his lap. The foot-long feather managed to just reach his nose, which set of an amazing round of sneezes. "Blasted hat." He shoved the hat off his lap and onto the floor of the carriage.but then, almost as an afterthought, he picked it up again and put it on his head.  
  
"Home sweet home, eh Endy?" He poked Endymion in the ribs, knowing full well he hated that. Xavier straightened his clothing one more time and stepped out of the carriage. By now the sun had nearly set, leaving a light glow in the purple sky. There was just enough light for Endymion to once again see the girl's face clearly. Beautiful.  
  
He carefully stepped out of the carriage with Serenity in his arms. Being wary of dropping her, he stretched to his full height. Six hours in a carriage is just too much. He stood for a moment, just feeling his muscles again, when one of his servants came up to him and said, "Would you like me to take her, sire?"  
  
It was as if the servant had just proposed to him. All eyes in the courtyard were suddenly on him. Xavier, who was a few yards away, stared hard at him, as if daring him to answer. Feeling uncomfortable with all this attention, Endymion merely shook his head and replied, "No, I've got it."  
  
Xavier turned away with a devious smile. Good. My plan is working pretty well so far. He turned back to Endymion. "Yes, dear brother. Hold on to that girl. She just might try to run again. Don't want to lose her now, do you?" He clapped his hand twice, a signal for his servants to follow him. Flashing Endymion one more not-so-nice smile, he strode through the castle doors.  
  
Endymion dismissed his brothers' strange words. He shifted the weight in his arms and turned to the servant who was still standing near him. "Draw a bath in my chambers. Have someone bring up some food and wine." He thought back to the girl's state and added "and get some clean cloths and healing balm." The servant obediently nodded his head and scurried off to perform the tasks.  
  
Realizing he had no more hands available to clap, he gave a sharp nod of his head to his servants and started the short journey to his chambers.  
  
*AN: lol, journey to his chambers. Don't mind the language here. It just doesn't sound right to say, "He began walking to his room". By the way, I just can't think of anything to happen between here and going to his room- err- chambers so I'll just skip to that. *  
  
* * * * *  
  
By the time Endymion had arrived to his chambers, the bath had been drawn, the food and wine had been brought up, and the clean cloths and healing balm were neatly placed on the night table at the side. Oh the joys of being Prince. The fireplace was fairly roaring, which was a good thing, since the sun had set and with it the heat of the day was also gone. Now it was replaced with cool air and a slight chill breeze.  
  
He gently laid the girl on the bed. Then he simply stood back and admired her. The breeze from the open windows ruffled her hair, which was still tangled but maintained a soft look to it. From the chill of the hallways to the warmth of Endymion's chambers, her cheeks had dramatically changed from snowy white to a soft pinky hue that spread across her face. that is, where there wasn't blood and dirt smudges. The wispy eyelashes cast spidery shadows on her face.  
  
Endymion was awed with this beauty.  
  
Finally done with his perusal of her face, he moved forward and gently supported her up. He drew away the sack to examine her wounds. His breath caught in his chest when he saw that the condition of her injuries had worsened since the last he had seen them. Before, they were bleeding, true, but not as heavily! Realization dawned him when he glanced at the sack. Dark splotches of red stained the interior of the sack. The rough material had abraded the cuts and made them even worse.  
  
He threw the sack towards the door in anger. He wasn't sure what he was angry at. Not the girl, that was for sure. Not at the guards who had put her in the sack. They had no idea she would get cut. Was he mad at the sack? Good grief, this girl was making him crazy and she wasn't even conscious.  
  
Endymion shook his head to clear these slightly disturbing thoughts and focused on the task at hand: tending to the wounds. He retrieved the cloths and a basin of warm water. Dipping the cloth in and squeezing out the excess water, he gently cleaned out the blood and dirt smudging her face, secretly reveling in the bit of skin that shone through with each sweep of the cloth.  
  
He finished with her face and neck. Then he saw a problem: the tattered gown she was wearing was covering her arms and he was sure there were wounds on her back. The only solution would be to.  
  
. Endymion blinked. Then mentally rolled his eyes. All I'm doing is undressing a girl. I've done that before.millions of times. There's nothing she's hiding that I haven't seen before. With that thought set in his mind, he began the process of declothing Serenity. But then, yet another problem sprang up. The mud that had covered the girl had plastered the cloth to her skin and the blood had done nothing to help. Tugging the cloth would just reopen the wounds.  
  
Endymion reached down and unsheathed the dagger he kept strapped to his calf. Steadying his hand he drew the sharp knife down the front of the girl's chest. He swallowed thickly as more and more skin was revealed under the glint of the dagger. He had cut down to near her belly button when Endymion felt the figure he was currently undressing move. He raised his eyes and met a wide-open blueness with a dangerous sparkle.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Silvery hair, slowly seeping with blood  
  
Running.leaving.  
  
Bound. Can't breathe.  
  
Sharp, needle-pain  
  
Tired.warm  
  
Damp.on my face  
  
On my face.  
  
Serenity swam through her thoughts. Flits of feeling and memories that didn't seem to stay put. But there was one thing that felt real enough to latch onto. With a tremendous amount of mental strength, Serenity hung onto the feeling of cool comfort sweeping across her face and neck. It was nice.the rest of her body felt warm as well.while her face was bathed in a dampness that eased the heat.  
  
Serenity slowly opened her eyes, expecting to see her mother lovingly cleaning her face, as she had often done before-  
  
Before what?  
  
Calib  
  
Remembrance snapped her back to reality. He saw that it was not her mother but a complete stranger. A man. Holding a knife. And using that knife to cut open her clothes.  
  
With a wild cry, she pushed the man away and scrambled to get away. "Wait-" Endymion tried to say, completely surprised by the sudden movement. Too late. The knife he was holding had slashed the soft flesh of her stomach while she had twisted away. A cutting pain stopped her a few feet away. Knowing that she had to get away, but strangely fascinated by the small gash in belly, Serenity halted and gazed at the crimson beads that were slowly gathering there.  
  
My blood.images of her mother and how her blood had flowed flew into her mind. The sight of her blood mixed with her own horrifying memories overwhelmed Serenity. She dropped to the ground.  
  
Endymion had been just a tad dazed. By the time he reacted, Serenity was on her way to the ground. He rushed to the girl and lowered himself beside her. However, she was not unconscious, as he had feared she was. She saw his looming figure and once again renewed her struggles to get away. She rolled away from him, sprang to her feet and screamed "GET AWAY FROM ME, YOU PERVERT!!"  
  
Endymion stared at the girl as if she were some sort of wild and frightened animal. Perhaps she was. In the course of about 30 seconds, he had gone from tending her wounds, to slashing her stomach, to being a rapist. This girl, who was standing slightly slumped and holding her freshly cut stomach, was as full of surprises as a box of chocolates. (AN: Forrest Gump, for all those who don't get that. It's a pretty good movie)  
  
"I'm not going to hurt you" He tried in his most reassuring voice. He had little experience in comforting people but this situation called for it.  
  
"HAH! You say you're not going to hurt me yet you were just using a KNIFE to undress me! Real reassuring!" Serenity would have laughed hysterically if she weren't so scared to the point that she might pass out.again. In one hand she held her sliced-and-diced- clothing to her chest and with one hand she pressed against the slash to her stomach.  
  
Endymion finally realized how this situation looked to her: a strange man, capturing her as his slave and tearing away at her clothes like a fiend. No wonder she was so scared. He decided to try and tell her exactly what he was doing. "I was merely trying to clean your wounds. The blood and mud made the garment you're wearing stick to your skin and I had to resort to a knife to get it off." She stared at him is total disbelief. He added, "to clean your wounds!!"  
  
"Like I'm supposed to believe you!" She took several more steps back, looking to all the world like she was going to make a break for it and run as fast as she could. In fact.she did. As those words left her mouth, she whirled around and darted for the door. But Endymion was trained in all fields of war. His legs were also longer and with only a few strides he had come up behind her and caught her arms, preventing her from running any farther.  
  
As he wrestled to get her back to the bed, he gritted out, "Look, I'm NOT going to hurt you, just stop stru-" His words were cut of as a small fist shot out and socked him on his cheek. Half in reflex and half in frustration, Endymion growled and tossed Serenity unceremoniously onto the bed. He gently brought his hand up to his cheek but winced when he felt the tender skin.  
  
Serenity once again lay dazed on the bed. The potential danger dawned her when she saw this strange man touch the bruise she had just so recently given him. Her eyes widened as he narrowed his eyes at her. He's angry, she thought. Now he's going to hurt me. Serenity found the air around her suddenly becoming hard to breathe in. Her breath quickened. Her vision hazy except for the glaring man in front of her.  
  
Endymion observed the situation carefully. One wrong move and she'll never trust me again. She lay sprawled on the bed now, eyes huge with trepidation and taking short and quick breaths. She has to be made to understand that I have no wish to hurt her. He mentally checked himself and found that his eyes were narrowed at the girl. He relaxed his expression but he saw that that did nothing to relieve the girl.  
  
In her mind, he had not stopped glaring. He had turned into Calib. Terror gripped her and she fought to break through the fog in her mind and focus on the creature before her. Serenity tried to slowly back away but found that her limbs were frozen. Calib was coming closer. Her breath came shallow and fast and her vision acquired black dots that blinked rapidly, causing her head to spin.  
  
Endymion caught her before she fell backwards onto the bed again. He saw her chest rise up and down, almost as if she was fighting a war just to breathe. Serenity tried to struggle but the terror in her mind made her movements sluggish and Endymion easily pinned her down. Now she was just lying limp.  
  
"Look, you'll feel more relaxed if you take deep breaths." Endymion wanted the girl somewhat calm. The slash on her stomach was proof enough of what could happen if she wasn't. "That's right, deep breaths." He saw that the girl was doing as he said, taking in deeper breaths to calm down. At the moment, she looked worn out. Except for her blue eyes shooting a fiery glare at him. But that was just a look. Deciding that it was safe to leave her for at least an instant, he said, "I'm going to get you something to eat. Stay put."  
  
He got up slowly, still holding her glare and walked backwards toward the tray of food and wine. He turned for just a moment to pick up the tray and, making sure the girl couldn't see, he slipped 2 small white pills into the wine, which dissolved immediately. Sure, she was injured and tired.but the little show at the carriage proved just how determined she was to get away. These pills would render her woozy and easier to handle.  
  
Endymion turned back to the bed, where he saw the girl once again trying to get up, but not getting far because of the fresh wound on her belly. He sighed wearily. As he got closer to the bed with the tray of food, her efforts to escape increased.but were still ineffectual. Endymion set down the tray on the bed and gently helped her up. Of course, she didn't want his help. The second she was steady on her own, she shoved Endymion away and faced the other side of the room.  
  
"What are you doing, MASTER?" her voice sneered in contempt. "Helping a simple slave? Shouldn't you be beating me to death for touching your precious skin?" Serenity kept her face away from his, trying not to let him see just how frightened she was. To her relief, her voice didn't waver during her little speech.  
  
Endymion bristled. Beating her?  
  
"I am not an animal." He yanked her wrist to make her face him. Seeing her startled face, he released her but continued his retort. "I will not give needless punishments." Hoping to warm her icy expression, he offered her the tray. "You may eat what you like. Your wounds will heal faster with nourishment."  
  
Endymion decided to leave the girl to her meal. Obviously she was not ready to let others care for her wounds and she herself was not able to do so herself, since some of the more serious injuries were on her back. What Endymion wanted to do now was let the girl eat, wait for the drugs to kick in, then deal with questioning her. Someone else could take care of her wounds. He thought about the bath that was waiting in the adjoining bathing chambers and decided to take the bath himself. After all, the girl's wounds were far too fresh to be dipped into his rose-scented water.  
  
Of course, that was not the true reason.  
  
The truth was that Endymion knew that this girl would be stunningly beautiful if she were to be completely undressed. That would prove too many temptations for Endymion and the girl was certainly not well enough to participate in his *ahem* activities. He had no wish to further the injuries on the girl and he himself also didn't want to grow attached to the girl, who was, at this very moment, already consuming his thoughts.  
  
Once again sighing, he went back to the doors of his chambers and called in a maid, all the while feeling the girl's glare on his back. Clearly she had not taken a single bite of her meal yet.  
  
"See to it that this girl finishes her food and then take care of her wounds. Make sure she does not leave the room." The maid curtsied and scurried off to the girl.  
  
Endymion took one last look at the girl, who was still glaring venomously at him, and went off to the bathing chambers.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Serenity watched as the man left the room. He confused her to no end. First he captures her as his slave, then he saves her, and now he's taking care of her. He gives me food and takes care of my wounds. Maybe he's not all bad.  
  
No.  
  
He has to be.  
  
Think about Calib, she thought frantically to herself, how he seemed so nice at first and then turned out horrible. Men can't be trusted.  
  
She looked down at her food. Then again.she hadn't eaten for days. In between running and.well, running, food hadn't been so high a priority. Not the delicious smell of the roasted chicken and boiled vegetables made her stomach growl in hunger. While the maid was wrapping her wounds (AN: God, I'm so sick of saying "her wounds" but there's no other word that fits the scenario!) she slowly ate the food. Feeling slightly better than before, she considered drinking the wine. She felt no illness from eating the food.the wine was probably fine as well. Serenity was thirsty enough. She took a glass and filled it with the crimson liquid. Tilting the glass, she took a small sip. It was sweet, she thought, fruity, with just enough wine taste without being bitter. Letting her thirst take over, she tipped her head back and gulped down all the contents of her glass.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Endymion returned to the main chambers to see the maid frantically trying to keep the girl from twirling into the tables in the room. A vision of brown and gold flew past him with a pink face and glassy eyes. Damn, he thought, she drank too much.  
  
He hurriedly strode to where the girl was now twirling happily. If possible, she seemed even lovelier than before. Her flushed face was upturned, looking up at the imaginary stars. Her arms were outstretched and her feet taking little steps to twirl her body around in dizzying circles. Endymion quickly pulled her to a stop before she could trip and hurt herself. She was giggling softly in his arms and said, "I can see the moon!" Endymion groaned as he carried her back to the bed and laid her in the covers. Just perfect. I can't even ask her anything now that she's drunk as a bird.  
  
Serenity smiled as she snuggled in the sheets. The pretty lights and humming were so distracting.but she was tired. She could feel the tugging of the wonderful white void (sleep) and she was helpless to do anything but to fall into it. Her eyes drifted close, a small smile firmly in place.  
  
Endymion sighed. (AGAIN!! He's sighing too much.but what else can he do?) The maid was now incredibly anxious and was babbling on about how "I could'un stop her, milord! She jus kept drinkin' an drinkin'! I swear I 'ad nothin' to do with it!"  
  
Endymion merely waved his hand and wearily said, "No need to worry. She'll be fine in the morning. Now, watch over her. I have some business to attend to." The maid bobbed her head and dropped a curtsey, obviously still half- afraid of some sort of punishment.  
  
Endymion took one more look at the sleeping beauty and headed out of the chamber. Xavier and I have some serious talking to do.  
  
To be continued.  
  
Review if you like, review if you don't like, I really don't care. Flames are welcomed with open arms. 


	6. Frustration

I, the writer, foresee a change of rating in the distant future. You have been warned.  
  
Disclaimer still stands and apologies for, once again, the delay of this chapter.  
  
Frustration is a funny thing to witness. Especially when you are the very cause of the frustration. Xavier languidly sipped his personal blend of wine while Endymion paced a short length across his study. Judging by the way Endymion had stormed into the room with his eyes blazing, fists clenched, and still had yet to say a word, Xavier was pretty sure that his dear brother's frustration was eating away at him.  
  
Of course, Xavier was never one to wait too long for information to reach him. The silence that Endymion was giving was getting just a tad irritable so Xavier decided to help him "talk things out".  
  
"Trouble?"  
  
Endymion never halted his pacing. Carefully constructing what he was going to say was not an option, since he had no idea what he wanted to say. He was frustrated, of course; any fool could see that. But at what? No question there. His new slave had a funny way of making the simplest things complicated and it frustrated him to an interesting point of hair- pulling, teeth-gnashing level. And Endymion had no idea what he wanted to do about it.  
  
"At this very moment, I have a pleasantly drunk and amazingly stunning woman passed out on my bed." Stick to the facts, that's what Endymion had decided to do.  
  
Xavier paused just a microsecond before continuing his leisurely slow sip of his drink. That was fast, he thought.  
  
"I'm impressed, brother. I always knew that women were weak but to succumb to your charms so quickly? And, might I add, right after her own capture and enslavement? Perhaps I was wrong about this one. Perhaps she's worthless like all the rest." Oh yes, Xavier knew exactly what to say to smoke out Endymion's proverbial wolf.  
  
Endymion came to a dead stop. He raised his head and shot a venomous glare at Xavier. "Are you insinuating that that girl is a whore?" Endymion's eyes blazed at the thought. There was no way the innocent creature who so openly defied him could have the weakness his brother described and just someone suggesting it was enough to make his blood boil.  
  
"Correct me if I'm wrong, Endymion, but that girl is just a slave." Xavier smirked at the slightly disturbed look Endymion got at his comment. Deciding to use this as his weapon, he continued, "I mean, even if she isn't a whore, you can easily change that status of hers in, oh say, four nights?" Xavier finished off his drink, enjoying the somewhat pleasant lightheadedness he reaped from both the alcohol and the deviousness of his scheme.  
  
Xavier had a point. After all, this girl was just a slave. She was just another object that was convenient for his pleasure and he could take as much as he wanted. It wouldn't make much difference if he did treat her like a whore, using her at night, not really caring in the day. She could be the bed-warmer who would eventually be thrown away after being broken so many times it just stopped being amusing and then he could find a new toy to break.  
  
The very idea made Endymion sick.  
  
He had felt the spirit and life that radiated from the girl in the short time she had been sober. When she had lost her inhibition with the wine, the true light of this girl had blinded him. He wanted this.  
  
Xavier saw that his little jab wasn't having the exact effect he had wanted. Instead of a lustful revelation that would eventually lead to screwing the girl, he saw a look of longing. Of course, Xavier knew how to maneuver situations to his favour. Hmm.longing.I can still work with that.  
  
"Well, if you're not going to bed her soon, might as well give her to me now. I was going to try to introduce her to the life of being a pleasure slave gently, you know, with you as a master," Endymion glared at that jab, "but now that you don't even seem to have an interest in her, I'll just break her now." Xavier had walked over to the cart that held his vial of wine and was nonchalantly refilling his goblet. He bent his head down, but kept his eyes trained on Endymion, delighted when a look of pure alarm.  
  
"NO!" A strange mix of shout and whisper escaped Endymion's mouth before he could stop himself. Rule number one of royalty: never let other people know what you really feel. Quickly regaining his composure, he said, "That is, I'll keep her for now. No need for you to abandon your own harem so soon."  
  
Pretending that this didn't make the slightest difference in his world, Xavier sipped his newly refilled wine. Mmm.  
  
"Alright. But are you sure that's what you want, brother? After all, didn't you come barging in here not too long ago, looking quite constipated?"  
  
"Yes. I mean.it's not.ARGH!" Torn between words, Endymion simply solved his little predicament be charging out of the room, much like he did coming in. His conversation had only served to confuse him more and now he felt as if all the clowns of the land had come to dance in his head. To make matters worse, the last words he heard before the doors to the study swung shut were "Don't forget I will get her in a month!" followed by mocking laughter.  
  
The frustrations that followed that reminder crowded his already confused mind. He stalked through the halls. He wanted to stomp his feet. He wanted to gnash his teeth. He wanted.her. Ah, hell. Damn wanting. What I need is sleep.  
  
Endymion stood in front of his chamber door, contemplating on the best way to handle whatever situation awaited him. She could have awaken and was trying to escape at the very moment. Then he'd have to tie her down again. Hmm.that thought made him frown and smile at the same time. Endymion sighed. Whatever happened couldn't be anticipated. He'd just go with it.  
  
He entered the room, half expecting the girl to pounce on him. He found nothing out of the ordinary, everything in the place that he had left it in. The maid was drowsing in the chair next to the bed. He cautiously approached the bed and found.  
  
.an angel. Her hair was fanned out on the pillow. It was dirty, yes, but stunning nonetheless. The small smile still graced her face, adding the image of a heavenly presence. Soft covers had gotten entangled with her legs and left her top half of the body uncovered with the exception of the rough material of the rag the still clung to her body. The shirt held the gash he had made in his attempt to remove it before, revealing smooth skin. Endymion swallowed hard. As if to keep his own thought out of the gutter, his eyes fixed themselves on the wound he had inflicted. He winced at the sight, both relieved to have swerved his naughty thoughts and also guilty for the pain he had needlessly caused.  
  
Making sure she was truly asleep, he turned to wake the maid. Not wanting to deal with flustered apologies, he sent her out of the chambers the second he saw the maid was conscious. When the room was empty, save for him and the girl, he removed his clothing. Habit overrode logic before his mind kicked in fast enough. He was half sliding in the bed unclothed when he realized how panicked the girl would be if she woke up next to a naked man who, according to her, had attempted the rape her. He let out a sigh. He put back on the slacks he had just taken off and slipped back in. With regards to the girl's earlier fear, he left a good 2 feet between them, though some of her hair was still only inches away from him. He pulled up the blankets to cover her and covered himself as well. Taking in the sight of the beauty, he vowed to stay awake as long as he could, if just to see vision.  
  
  
  
Shorter than the last chapter, yes, but hey!  
  
Review please! Flame me if you wish! My love to all my readers. In fact, I'd give a hug and a peck on the cheek to anyone who is actually reading these very words: you love my story so much you're even reading the part that has nothing to do with it! 


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